More U.S. trade secrets walk out door with foreign spies

As the nation braces for global terrorism and war with Iraq, corporate espionage on the home front by foreign spies may be intensifying, security and law enforcement officials warn. In the post-Cold War era, the most dangerous threats come from all corners of the globe, including China, South Korea, France, Israel and Japan, espionage experts say. Whether enemies or allies, all are intent on swiping U.S. trade secrets for commercial and military use. As one security expert put it, the USA is entering a golden age of corporate espionage. Most cases of corporate spying go undiscovered, and it’s impossible to estimate the true amount. But with the growing global economy and the relentless demand for new technology, experts say, the number of economic espionage cases rises each year. In Silicon Valley, at least 20 foreign nations have tried repeatedly to steal U.S. trade secrets over the past five years, estimates Donald Przybyla, supervising agent of the FBI’s Palo Alto, Calif., office in Silicon Valley. Investigations by his squad of 12 agents, who specialize in trade-secret cases, have risen 30% over the past year. Full Story

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